Michigan Farm to School News

 

Greetings,

 

Here are the latest Farm to School news bites: 

 

NEWS

 

Congress adjourned last week, unfortunately leaving the Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill left unresolved. Learn more from this blog post from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

 

“The Economic Impact of Farm to School Lunch Programs:  A Central Minnesota Example” from the University of Minnesota’s Extensions Center of Community Vitality and Department of Applied Economics provides an estimate of the impact of local food purchasing at schools on the local economy. Read a summary here and the study report here. Also check out “Farm to School’s Teachable Moment: Teaching the value of healthy eating in schools is a great way to fight obesity” by JoAnne Berkenkamp of Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in Minneapolis.

 

Berkeley’s New School Food Study: A Victory for Alice Waters 

This three-year evaluation by researchers at the University of California shows that 5^th graders in the School Lunch Initiative funded by the Chez Panisse Foundation who grow and cook their own food make healthier food choices. Read The Atlantic article here and another summary here, but also check out this article from Grist, “Mixed results from the Edible Schoolyard,” which describes how the study also shows that progress slowed among older students. Read the study for yourself here.

 

The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University has recently released WellSAT, the Wellness School Assessment Tool, which can be found here. This new tool can help schools evaluate and make improvements to their wellness policies that address nutrition education, nutrition standards for school meals and competitive foods, and physical activity.  

 

The National Conference of State Legislature’s “Promoting Healthy Communities and Preventing Childhood Obesity: Trends in Recent Legislation” report summarizes and analyzes state level policies for healthy eating, physical activity, healthy community design, and access to healthy food. You can access the report here. 

 

 

EVENTS

 

USDA Farm to School: Digging Through the Farm to School Resources Webinar 

October 7, 2010

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Click here to register.

 

Farm to School Teacher Training Workshop 

Learn how to implement a Farm to School program in your classroom with the Fresh From the Farm curriculum from Seven Generations Ahead in Illinois.

Training beings October 14, 2010

Learn more here, and register here!  

 

Vegetables 201: Ready to take the next step? 

November 4, 2010 

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM 

Kalamazoo, MI 

See attachment for more information and to register! 

 

2010 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market Expo 

December 7-9, 2010

Grand Rapids, MI 

Click here for more program information. Registration is now open! 

FW: ACTION ALERT: House will vote on Child Nutrition this week!

Greetings all,

 

Please see the action alert below from the Community Food Security Coalition regarding Child Nutrition Reauthorization, which will be voted on by the House this week. If you care to weigh in, call your Representative soon!

 

Best,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Michigan State University

303 Natural Resources Building

East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

517.432.0310

www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

From: The Community Food Security Coalition [mailto:contact=foodsecurity.org@mcsv66.net] On Behalf Of The Community Food Security Coalition
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 2:51 PM
To: smtedeschi@wisc.edu
Subject: ACTION ALERT: House will vote on Child Nutrition this week!

 

Unsubscribe - Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.   September 22, 2010 ACTION ALERT: HOUSE WILL VOTE ON CHILD NUTRITION THIS WEEK   URGE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO MOVE FORWARD NOW ON FARM TO SCHOOL FUNDING IN THE CHILD NUTRITION BILL! It has come to our attention that The House will vote on a Child Nutrition package (The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, S. 3307) this week! This legislation contains several major improvements to nutrition quality, access, and program integrity for school meal programs, including: Mandatory funding for Farm to School Programs ($40 million); A 6-cent increase in the federal reimbursement rate for school lunches; Establishes national nutrition standards for all foods sold on school campuses throughout the school day; Improvements in the direct certification process; and Expansion of the afterschool meals program. For a complete list of provisions included in this legislation, click here [pdf]. If passed, this legislation would be the first major improvement in the school meals program in more than three decades, and CFSC strongly supports the Farm to School provision as an important direction for school meals by linking cafeterias directly with regional food producers. Though a bitter pill to swallow with the bill being paid for using money from the SNAP stimulus benefits, this is likely our last and best opportunity to see a Child Nutrition bill passed and to win mandatory funding for Farm to School programs this year. Please call your Representatives and urge them to pass the Child Nutrition bill this week. t's easy to call.  Go to Congress.org and type in your zip code.  Click on your Representative's name, and then on the contact tab for their phone number.  You can also call the Capitol Switchboard and ask to be directly connected to your Representative's office: 202-224-3121. The message is simple. "I am a constituent of Representative ___________ and I am calling to ask him/her to support the Child Nutrition bill (The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, S. 3307) which is coming up for a vote this week."  Background If funded, the Farm to School Program would offer competitive grants to schools or non-profit organizations to develop purchasing relationships with local farmers, plan seasonal menus, start school gardens, develop hands-on nutrition education, and provide solutions to infrastructure problems including storage, transportation, food preparation, and technical training.   A Farm to School grant program was authorized in the 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, but USDA has never requested any funding for the program.  Congress now has an opportunity to fund this important program when it reauthorizes the Child Nutrition Act in 2010. Farm to School initiatives around the country have demonstrated that Farm to School is a win-win-win for children, schools, local communities and farmers -- providing abundant reasons why this initiative should be available to schools throughout the country. The choice of healthier produce options in the school cafeteria through Farm to School results in children consuming more fruits and vegetables, leading to lifelong improvements in their diets. Schools report a 3 to 16 percent increase in school meal participation when farm-fresh food is served, bringing more school lunch funds to the schools. Working creatively with local producers, some schools have found ways to save money while supporting local agriculture by purchasing locally. The transaction from Farm to School keeps dollars in the local economy, strengthening local economies and creating jobs. Schools provide an important new market opportunity for small and mid-sized family farmers and ranchers.Click here for additional information on Farm to School and our campaign.   For more background information on Farm to School programs and our campaign, click here. Click here for additional information on the SNAP offset. Passage of the bill has become a White House priority in the last several weeks with the First Lady encouraging Congress to act and an open letter from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and 100 retired generals and admirals presented to Congress yesterday (September 21) calling for immediate passage of the legislation.   The Farm to School Collaborative, a cross-sector alliance of school, nutrition, rural, and sustainable agriculture groups and farmers, has been leading the campaign for mandatory funding for Farm to School programs in the upcoming Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization (CNR). Members of the Farm to School Collaborative include the Community Food Security Coalition, National Farm to School Network, School Food FOCUS, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the Wallace Center at Winrock International.  For more background information on Farm to School programs and our campaign, click here.  Questions? Please contact the CFSC Policy Office: 202-543-8602 Thank you for your help! Community Food Security Coalition Community Food Security Coalition 110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 307, Washington DC, 20002 Phone [202] 543-8602 | www.FoodSecurity.org The Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3), North American organization dedicated to building strong, sustainable, local and regional food systems that ensure access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food for all people at all times. We seek to develop self-reliance among all communities in obtaining their food and to create a system of growing, manufacturing, processing, making available, and selling food that is regionally based and grounded in the principles of justice, democracy, and sustainability. Unsubscribe smtedeschi@wisc.edu from this list or change your subscription preferences. Forward this email to a friend

FW: Food Safety Action Update

FYI!

 

 

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From: School Food FOCUS [sdavidson@schoolfoodfocus.org]
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 10:08 AM
To: Colleen Matts
Subject: Fwd: Food Safety Action Update

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

Food Safety Action Update from Community Food Security Coalition Greetings, FOCUS stakeholders! There is a food safety bill in the Senate that could be voted on today that could affect Farm to School programs. This legislation increases regulations on farms that even minimally process their crops and thus threatens to overwhelm small direct market farms and processors selling to restaurants, food coops, groceries, schools, etc. An amendment sponsored by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) would exempt small farm and small food processing facilities as well as small and mid-sized farmers who primarily direct market their products to consumers, stores or restaurants within their region from this legislation.  Below is an update and alert with more information from our friends at the Community Food Security Coalition. Warmest regards, School Food FOCUS Team ----------------------------Begin forwarded message--------------------------- Food Safety Needs Your Action NOW! We apologize for the short turn around CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY AND URGE THEM TO SUPPORT THE TESTER AMENDMENT Make sure food safety legislation does not shut down local foods! The Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) could reach the Senate floor as early as today. This legislation considerably ramps up FDA regulation on farms that even minimally process their crops and thus threatens to overwhelm small direct market farms and processors selling to restaurants, food coops, groceries, schools, etc. Spurred by dangerous foodborne pathogens in long industrial food chains that have proven difficult to trace and remedy, this legislation fails to take into account the existing local and state regulatory framework that governs local food producers. An amendment sponsored by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) would exempt small farm and small food processing facilities as well as small and mid-sized farmers who primarily direct market their products to consumers, stores or restaurants within their region from this legislation. Contact your Senators and ask them to vote YES for the Tester amendment to fix the FDA Federal Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510).     It's easy to call.   You can get your Senator's name and direct number by going to Congress.org and typing in your zip code.  You can also call the Capitol Switchboard, provide your Senator's name and be directly connected to their office: (202) 225-3121.   Once connected to your Senator's office ask to speak to the aide that works on child nutrition. The message is simple.  "I am a constituent of ________ and I am calling to ask him/her to vote YES on the Tester amendment to S. 510 - "The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act".  The Tester amendment will exempt small farm and food facilities and farmers who direct market their products to consumers, stores or restaurants. Background Information In August, a recall to prevent the spread of salmonella contaminated eggs involved over half a billion eggs pulled off supermarket shelves in over 12 states under at least 25 different labels, even though they originated on just two related farms in Iowa. The story is emblematic of a highly concentrated food system characterized by long and difficult to trace supply chains and distribution systems. This situation is what S. 510 is supposed to address. Unfortunately, without Sen. Tester's common sense amendment to S. 510, the bill threatens to undermine the resurgence of vibrant local food businesses supplying growing consumer desire to know their producers and buy fresh, wholesome local produce, meat and other products. Thus we can not support a food safety bill without Senator Tester's amendment.   Visit our partner organization's for additional background information on the bill. Western Organization of Resource Councils National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition   Questions? Please contact the CFSC Policy Office: 202-543-8602 Thank you for your help! Community Food Security Coalition

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Michigan Farm to School News

Hi all,

 

Here are the latest Farm to School news bites to start off the school year: 

 

NEWS

 

First Lady Asks Congress to Join Childhood Obesity Fight 

Michelle Obama is kicking off the next phase of her Let's Move! campaign that addresses childhood obesity by encouraging kids exercise and providing more free and reduced price meals and improving the quality of food options at schools. The Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization is critical to support Let’s Move! and its goals. Read more here. 

 

Making School Food Healthier

Numerous efforts are underway to improve the quality of foods served in schools, including the Let’s Move! campaign, the Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization, local policies, farm to school, and Chefs Move to Schools. Read more here.

 

ERS Announces Partnership with the National Farm to School Network
The Economic Research Service is joining forces with the National Farm to School Network to track Farm to School programs, including school gardens, across the country. Read the full article here. 

 

 

OPPORTUNITIES

 

Springport Public Schools: Nutrition Education Project Coordinator
Springport Public Schools is currently seeking a Program Coordinator to manage Springport’s Nutrition Education through Gardening program. The deadline for submitting applications is 3:00 PM on September 10, 2010. See attachment for more details.   

 

FoodCorps Call for Host Sites
FoodCorps is a developing branch of the AmeriCoprs program that focuses on school food systems, including nutrition education, school gardens, and farm to school, in high need communities. FoodCorps is searching for sites to host service members. The open period for Letters of Inquiry from potential host sites closes on Friday, September 17th. Go here to learn more, and let us know if you plan to submit a letter of inquiry to be a host site!

 

‘Renegade Lunch Lady’ and Whole Foods Market Invite Schools to Apply for Grants to Fund Salad Bars
Whole Food Market and Chef Ann Cooper are working together to provide healthy salad bars to schools through the Great American Salad Bar Project’s grant program. They are seeking applications from schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and are located within 50 miles of a Whole Foods store. Apply electronically for the grant here before November 1, 2010! 

 

The 2011 Community Food Projects Request for Applications for competitive grants for community-based food and agriculture projects nationwide has been announced. Click here for details and here for resources from the Community Food Security Coalition. Grant proposals are due November 17, 2010! 

 

Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge
As part of the Let’s Move! campaign, the USDA is offering cash prizes for winning student teams who submit original recipes that meet the whole grain foods, dark green and/or orange vegetables, and dry beans and peas (legumes) nutrition requirements for school meals. The deadline for recipe submissions is December 30, 2010! Click here to learn more.

 

 

EVENTS

 

Two Angry Moms Free Moving Screening

Hosted by Lansing.MomsLikeMe.com

Saturday, September 25^th

10 am – 12 pm

Celebration! Cinema

200 E. Edgewood Blvd.
Lansing, MI 48911

See attached email for more info

 

Making it in Michigan: Conference and Tradeshow
Hosted by the MSU Product Center

October 26, 2010 
Lansing, MI 
Register at www.makingitinmichigan.msu.edu

 

 

Best,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Michigan State University

303 Natural Resources Building

East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

517.432.0310

www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

FW: REVISED - Chicago Public Schools looking for Michigan Produce

Hi all,

Chicago Public Schools is looking for Midwest-grown foods for their school meals program. Please see the email below for more information about this opportunity. Note that the deadline for responses is September 10^th. Apologies for cross posting!

 

Best,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Michigan State University

303 Natural Resources Building

East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

517.432.0310

www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

 

From: Emily R. Beutel [mailto:buckhame@ANR.MSU.EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 2:06 PM
To: FOODSPEAK@LIST.MSU.EDU
Subject: [FOODSPEAK] Chicago Public Schools looking for Michigan Produce

 

Great opportunity for Michigan farmers to help supply Chicago Public Schools with Michigan produce.  More information about the produce needed and their amounts can be found in the attached Request for Information(proposal) or at http://www.miffs.org/media/RFI8-17b.pdf. If you have any questions, contact

 

Jean Saunders

Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality

Ph: (773) 722-4964

Jean.Saunders@Compass‐usa.com

 

Jim Slama

Family Farmed

Ph: (708)763-9920

jimslama@familyfarmed.org

 

 

Emily (Buckham) Beutel
Communications Manager

Michigan Food & Farming Systems - MIFFS
Bringing Farmers and Communities Together

172 Natural Resources Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
Ph: (517) 432-0712
Fx: (517) 353-7961
www.miffs.org

 

To unsubscribe from this list, send an email with "SIGNOFF FOODSPEAK" in the subject line to LISTSERV@LIST.MSU.EDU.

To unsubscribe from this list, send an email with "SIGNOFF FOODSPEAK" in the subject line to LISTSERV@LIST.MSU.EDU.

FoodCorps Call for Host Sites

Hi all,

Check out this article about FoodCorps by Debra Eschmeyer of the National Farm to School Network!

http://civileats.com/2010/08/30/foodcorps-call-for-host-sites/

 

If you’re interested in becoming a host site in Fall 2011 for FoodCorps, a new national AmericCorps service program, please note that letters of inquiry from interested host sites are due by Friday, September 17^th. Also, feel free to join in on the conference call on Thursday, September 2^nd  to learn more about the host site selection process. You’ll find details and links in the article listed above. Please let me know if you plan to submit a letter of inquiry – this is a great opportunity for additional manpower to help develop and expand farm to school programs in Michigan!

 

Best,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Michigan State University

303 Natural Resources Building

East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

517.432.0310

www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

 

MI Good Food webinar

FYI!

 

 

Announcing “The Next Step: Taking the MI Good Food Charter to Policymakers” webinar.

 

            September 7^th

            Noon – 1pm (Eastern Time)

 

Please REGISTER by Friday September 3^rd, 2010.

 

If you have ever wondered…

§  How can I get the attention of candidates and other policymakers?

§  What do candidates want to hear? How can I be prepared?

§  Who in my local community should I talk to about food policies?

….then this webinar is for you!

 

Following up on the “Your Guide to the Michigan Good Food Charter” webinar in July, this webinar will discuss how to take the goals and agenda priorities in the Michigan Good Food Charter to candidates and policymakers. The webinar will cover what you need to know to approach both state and local level policymakers and where to start with different food policy issues, using specific examples from the charter.

 

Webinar Agenda:

Welcome and Introductions  

Kathryn Colasanti, C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at MSU

Approaching State Legislative Candidates and State Legislators

Jean Doss, J. Doss Consulting, LLC

Approaching Local Appointed and Elected Officials

Guy Williams, G.O. Williams & Associates, LLC

Q&A and Discussion

               

Please REGISTER in advance by Friday September 3^rd, 2010. See:  https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEpoNUNnc1ppdW94YjhwYm5jdkI2SUE6MQ

 

We look forward to your participation!

Kathryn

 

Kathryn J. A. Colasanti

C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

Department of Community, Agriculture,

       Recreation & Resource Studies

Michigan State University

303 Natural Resources

East Lansing, MI 48824

517.353.0642

colokat@msu.edu